Lubbock Mayor David Miller announced a zero tolerance policy Wednesday in enforcing the city's leash laws.

The announcement follows a string of dog attacks that many people are blaming on pit bulls.

Miller said the city would have an additional officer to police the streets and search for lose animals and their owners.

The city could do little to ban or restrict certain breeds of dogs, he said, but he did not think pit bulls as a breed were to blame. Rather, he said owners need to take responsibility for their dogs.

Within the past month, pit bulls have been blamed for attacks that killed 10 goats in the county and that killed a miniature horse and wounded four others.

"I join many other people here on our staff and council in the outcry against these instances," Miller said. "I'm convinced the animals are not the issue. I'm convinced the owners of the animals are the issue."

Miller said he was determined to work closely with state lawmakers to strengthen laws related to animal attacks. A law passed last year allows the owner of a dog that attacks a person to be charged with a felony. Miller suggested the law should be expanded to cover fatal attacks on other animals.

A Lubbock County grand jury on Tuesday handed down the county's first felony indictment against the owner of a animal involved in an attack on a person.

There are vacant positions at the city's animal shelter that the city will use to hire the officer, Miller said.

Kevin Overstreet, the city's director of animal services, said the new position will be filled by a certified peace officer, meaning he or she can conduct criminal investigations and arrest pet owners. It's a departure from the animal control officers the city currently has who can only write citations.

"This is going to give a lot of latitude to animal services as a whole," Overstreet said.